England to the Sea

By: R. E. Vernede

Narrated by: Phillip J. Mather

Robert Ernest Vernede [1875-1917] was an English poet and writer of short stories, most remembered as a war poet of WWI. Wounded at the Battle of the Somme in 1916, he recovered and returned to the front and was killed by machine-gun fire at Havrincourt in 1917. "England to the Sea" was published in Poems of the Great War, in 1914.

Public Domain (P)2014 Phillip J Mather

An Emotional War Poem

Would you listen to England to the Sea again? Why?

Yes, I think it requires further listens to fully absorb, as this poem has a unique structure.

What was one of the most memorable moments of England to the Sea?

The reference to former sea commanders of the British Empire such as Drake and Nelson. It gives you a feeling for the historical legacy of England and Britain.

What does Phillip J. Mather bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

His voice booms like a wave crashing on the side of a galley. It fits perfectly.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It is a poem, so yes.